ABSTRACT
In 1999 the European Union agreed to designate one city, annually, as the European Capital of Culture (ECOC) and in 2008 the title will be given to a UK city. Set up in 1985 as the European City of Culture,1 the year-long cultural event is now a major generator of cultural tourism and Richards (2000:159) argues that, in addition to its potential as an artistic showcase, its perceived economic, social and environmental benefits are so great that cities fight over it with the intensity usually reserved for the Olympic Games nomination. In 2000, the UK government signalled that it viewed the title as a significant prize and highlighted that 2008 should be seen as an opportunity for the UK title-holder to transform its image: The year should mark a lasting change in the city’s standing in its own eyes, throughout the UK and on the continent’ (DCMS 2000:4). This is the story of Birmingham’s bid. It will explain why the city decided to enter the competition, summarize the bid’s content, and tell the tale of how the bidding process intensified debates about the city’s cultural image. It will also describe how the Capital of Culture contributed to the visual economy of the city by developing a new set of visual images for marketing purposes. In conclusion there will be a summary of some key issues to emerge from this case study of a culture-led competition.
